FEATURED SHOWSunday, June 23, 7 PMToxic Moxie (Photo by David Morton), Magnus Lush, Among The Rocks And Roots @ Gallery 5 – $6 in advance/$8 day of show (order tickets HERE)One of the core principles of this-here column is as follows: local music, specifically music from Richmond, is awesome. But that’s not just because our city had the fortune of attracting (or incubating) a lot of really talented people. A big part of what makes this relatively small US city so great at producing a ton of wonderful sounds from talented musicians is the community that exists within the scene here. Pretty much everyone involved in the local scene works to help support each other in our mutual creative endeavors. That’s not only true across styles and genres, it’s also true for people who don’t necessarily play music themselves — the promoters, the photographers, the zine-makers, even the kids who just go to a lot of shows and help make sure that bands get paid.

In that spirit, it’s great to see three local bands with significantly different sounds all coming together at Gallery 5 this Sunday to help a friend. I’ve never known Celeste Canady to play in a band, but her photography and overall scene support has made her an essential member of Richmond’s music community for years. Now she’s headed off to start the next chapter in her life by moving to Chicago — and three great Richmond bands are playing this fundraiser to help Celeste on her way.

Whether you personally know Celeste and also want to contribute, or are just looking for a great night of local music to cap off your weekend, Gallery 5 is the place to be this Sunday night. Toxic Moxie are our headliners, and they’ve been teasing a new LP for a damn minute now, so chances that this show will bring you a live preview of their killer new material are pretty high, I’d say. Magnus Lush’s excellent post-hardcore sound is always captivating and worth your time. And Among The Rocks And Roots are still building yet further from their 2018 LP, Raga, a creative peak in their epic multi-movement song construction and noisy, raging, yet hypnotic and enticing bass-drum duo sound. These groups are very different, but they are all excellent, they’re all coming out of Richmond, and best of all, they’re all coming together to support members of their community. Gotta love it.

Wednesday, June 19, 7 PMDaddy Long Legs (Photo by Colby Sadeghi), The Bush League, The HellHounds @ Capital Ale House Music Hall – $10 (order tickets HERE)It’s not exactly in the mainstream eye right now, but if you know where to look, you’re sure to notice that there’s quite the revival in rootsy, bluesy rock n’ roll happening these days. Daddy Long Legs are part of that whole thing — the NYC three-piece play music landing somewhere between the amplified Chicago blues of Howlin’ Wolf and Little Walter, and the noisy gutbucket howls of The Cramps and Jon Spencer. Hard not to love that!

On their new LP, Lowdown Ways, dish out some rollicking noise, making the most of their unusual lineup configuration — a slide guitarist, a singer who plays blues harp at times and guitar at others, and a drummer with a tiny kit and an ever-present maraca in one hand — and crank out some sounds that will appeal both to fans of early Fat Possum Records superstars like RL Burnside and T-Model Ford, and to Richmond punks who miss the heyday of local roots-punk rippers The Nervous Ticks. All of this adds up to a ton of fun; you’ll certainly be moving your feet if you make it out to this one.

Thursday, June 20, 8 PMMoon Hooch (Photo by Jeffery Allen), Nathan-Paul & The Admirables, Brunswick @ The Camel – $15 in advance/$18 day of show (order tickets HERE)I love it when something totally unexpected rolls through town, and that’s why I’m super-stoked to see Moon Hooch coming through. This trio is the kind of thing you’ve almost never seen before — two saxophones and a drummer, plus some occasional electronic augmentation and a completely unpredictable approach to songwriting that creates some of the freshest sounds I’ve encountered in a while. Moon Hooch are definitely not jazz. Nor are they a sax-driven rock n’ roll band. They aren’t an avant-garde experimental noise ensemble, either. And while their latest release, a collaboration with rapper/producer Tonio Sagan, has a decided boom-bap feel, they aren’t hip hop either.

So if Moon Hooch aren’t any of those things, then what are they? Answer: they’re a whole lot of fun. Any group who got their start as subway buskers are sure to know how to entertain a crowd, and Moon Hooch are no exception. They make danceable tunes full of groove and forward motion that are sure to get your booty shaking. Sometimes the result is reminiscent of John Zorn’s more accessible work, while at other times you just may find yourself thinking of Richmonders Dumb Waiter; those of you with longer memories may also end up thinking at times of Morphine. But mostly what you’re going to be thinking about when Moon Hooch are onstage at the Camel is what a great time you’re having. And that’s ultimately the best result possible.

Friday, June 21, 8 PMBriana Marela, Plastic Pyramid, M4DF4C3 @ Sediment Arts – $9This Friday night, it’s time to step into a slightly different headspace over at Sediment Arts. Many of us associate shows at art galleries with avant-garde sounds and performances, and while that isn’t universally true, such an instinct is not going to steer you wrong this Friday night. Briana Marela is an electronic musician from the West Coast, who uses her voice to create ambient layers of ethereal melody, then augments these floaty textures of sound with subtle programmed beats, synths, and gorgeous vocal melodies with their own flawless sense of melodic pop excellence.

The result might make you think of more recent work by Bjork, or even Grimes in her pre-Elon Musk days. But Briana Marela very much has her own thing going on, which she shows both on her most recent LP, 2017’s Call It Love, and a song she created last year in collaboration with Radiolab. “4th Amendment” is a song that uses the Bill Of Rights’ prohibition against unwarranted search and seizure to explore important issues relating to consent. Clearly she’s coming from an intelligent mindset — she’s currently pursuing an MFA in Electronic Music at Mills College — and her complex music demonstrates that, giving the listener a lot of sonic rabbit holes to fall down. In the best way, of course.

Saturday, June 22, 7 PMMinor Poet (Photo by Joey Wharton), The Wimps, HotSpit @ The Broadberry – $10 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)A whole bunch of Richmond indie musicians — Matthew E. White, Natalie Prass, Lucy Dacus — have made it big in that world over the past several years, and now it appears that Minor Poet’s Andrew Carter is set to follow in their footsteps. Following up on And How!, his 2017 debut LP under the Minor Poet name, Carter has just released his follow-up EP, The Good News, with none other than Sub Pop Records. Which technically makes Minor Poet labelmates with Nirvana, and if that isn’t impressive, I don’t know what is.

OK, actually, I do know what is — the brand new six-song offering from Minor Poet. The Good News is a triumph of pop songcraft, full of lush instrumental augmentation around a really solid core of pop-rock melody that nods toward both the Beatles and the Shins on the way to an excellent, original place of its own. At The Broadberry this Saturday night, Carter and his allies in Minor Poet will bring the whole thing to vibrant Technicolor life before your very eyes. And then you’ll have a chance to grab a copy of The Good News on vinyl for your very own. Trust me, you’re going to want to.

Sunday, June 23, 9 PMGreenbeard, Lady Killer, 3:33 @ Wonderland – $10We’ve explored all sorts of multi-faceted sounds and styles this week, but we all know what the music scene in Richmond was built on, so this Sunday night, let’s all head down to Wonderland and get back to our roots in the rich earth of Southern metal. Two Texas bands are headed to Shockoe Bottom to help us out with that, and with a name like Greenbeard, you know the first of these two has to be good. You might wonder whether that name is intended to be a weed reference, but the fact that the first song on their latest EP is called “Contact High II” should remove any doubt.

And of course, these guys churn out exactly the sort of rumbling sun-baked grooves that you’d hope for from any metal band who like to make marijuana references. Greenbeard’s music occupies a territory bordered on one side by the hazy psychedelia of Hawkwind or Monster Magnet, and on the other by the straight-up Camaro grooves of Fu Manchu. If you like spending time in that territory — and let’s be real, who doesn’t? — this show is for you. Fellow Texans Ladykiller push that vibe in a bit more of an 80s cock-rock direction, complete with some of that slightly-awkward “pretty women as scenery” vibe straight out of mid-80s Motley Crue videos. But once they start to play, all doubts go by the wayside — these guys are riff masters, and there’s no denying it. Local metal-punk madmen 3:33 will kick off their next tour with an opening slot on this one, so expect things to be hard n’ heavy from the word go. Which is exactly what you want.

Monday, June 24, 6:30 PMJason Isbell & the 400 Unit, Father John Misty, Jade Bird @ Altria Theater – $59.75 – $79.75 (order tickets HERE)I’ve been a fan of Jason Isbell since back when he was still in the Drive-By Truckers. He wrote some of the best songs on their albums that he played on, and when he left the group a dozen years ago to kick off a solo career, I certainly wasn’t complaining. Isbell’s been repaying my faith in him ever since, creating half a dozen excellent solo albums thus far. The most recent of these, 2017’s The Nashville Sound, was the first to give his band, the 400 Unit, equal billing, and it makes sense — it’s very much a band record, with a sound that is guaranteed to please everyone who loves heartland rock, alt-country, and any sort of heartfelt anthem delivered with grace and sincerity.

Since that album was released, Isbell has contributed a song to the Star Is Born soundtrack. Meanwhile, his current tourmate, Father John Misty, recently started playing a song that he swears was rejected from that same high-profile film. Of course, as with anything Father John Misty is up to, you’ve got to take it with a grain of salt — the guy’s been one of the music world’s most notorious tricksters since he quit Fleet Foxes and changed his name from plain old Josh Tillman back in 2012. But for someone who’s public persona is sometimes quite difficult to figure out, Father John Misty’s music is always excellent, something he proved yet again on last year’s God’s Favorite Customer. You might hear all sorts of weird between-song pronouncements during his set at the Altria this Monday night — but you’ll definitely hear some powerful music. And that’s really what it’s all about.

Tuesday, June 25, 7 PMDamien Jurado, Corrina Repp @ Capital Ale House Music Hall – $18 in advance/$20 day of show (order tickets HERE)Here’s another pretty impressive labelmate Minor Poet can now claim as a result of his Sub Pop signing. Damien Jurado’s been making his spare, affecting music for around 25 years now, and in the late 90s and early 00s, he was recording for Sub Pop, releasing moody acoustic singer-songwriter masterpieces like Ghost Of David back before Iron And Wine was a name anyone knew.

In the years since, Jurado’s released over a dozen albums, at times dabbling in full bands and more electrified sounds. But on his latest, the just-released In The Shape Of A Storm, Damien Jurado has once again returned to his roots, producing an album of haunting ballads that aren’t quite folk, country, indie, or emo, but will likely appeal to people who enjoy any of those genres. Jurado’s music is always an intense, haunted listening experience, even on record. When he takes the stage at Capital Ale House this Tuesday night, you should be prepared for an emotional journey — one that may take you to some pretty dark places. But even so, you’ll be tremendously glad you took the ride.

Elsewhere Around The State:

Saturday, June 22, 7 PMThe Connells @ The Jefferson Theater – $20 (order tickets HERE)It may very well be that you have to be “of a certain age” to remember the Connells in 2019. And if so, that’s a shame, because while this band’s most successful periods were the college radio era of the late 80s and the post-Nirvana alt-rock boom of the early 90s, their songwriting talent was more than sufficient to make them the authors of some truly classic alt-pop tunes. Granted, they weren’t as heavy as the grunge bands of the day. What’s more, their roots in North Carolina linked them much more closely to fellow Southern indie groups like REM and Dillon Fence than to the quirkier collegiate alt-rock of the Massachusetts area (like the Pixies or Dinosaur Jr).

All the same, songs like “Stone Cold Yesterday,” “Slackjawed,” and “Fun And Games” showed that namesake brothers Mike and David Connell, along with perennial lead vocalist Doug MacMillan, knew exactly how to put together a perfect pop tune. The results on album after album harked back to 60s classics by the Beatles and the Byrds while also indicating a clear kinship with UK groups like The Smiths and The House Of Love. All that sounds pretty great, right? And see, that’s why you should definitely make it out to the Jefferson Theater Saturday night when The Connells come through — regardless of whether or not you saw them on the lawn at your college in 1994. Their heyday may be a bit far back in the rearview, but these songs are timeless.

Tuesday, June 25, 7 PMKristin Hersh Electric Trio, Fred Abong @ The Golden Pony – $12 in advance/$14 at the door (order tickets HERE)Kristin Hersh has been making music for nearly 40 years, and she’s been a unique and fascinating artist that entire time. Beginning in the early 80s with her band Throwing Muses, Hersh used a spiky iconoclasm learned from punk to twist her noisy pop tunes into strange, off-kilter shapes that made the results fascinating. Beginning in the early 90s, Hersh began alternating full-band Throwing Muses albums with more minimal but no less fascinating solo albums, which veered from raw emotional declarations to covers of old Appalachian folk ballads.

These days, Hersh has managed to distill all her disparate musical threads into a single unified sound. 2018’s Possible Dust Clouds integrates the noisy, tangled postpunk sound of Throwing Muses and Hersh’s post-Throwing Muses project, 50 Foot Wave, with the arresting minimalist songcraft of her previous solo material. Now she’s out on tour performing not as a solo artist or a bandleader but something in-between — fronting an Electric Trio featuring former Throwing Muses bassist Fred Abong and former 50 Foot Wave drummer Rob Ahlers. Will the result be an overview of her 35-year recording career, or will Hersh plunge fearlessly into the future on the trail of her unique muse? Regardless of which way things go, the result is sure to be a captivating performance. Head up to Harrisonburg and see it for yourself — it’ll be worth the trip.

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Email me if you’ve got any tips for me about upcoming shows (that take place after the week this column covers -– this week’s column has obviously already been written): [email protected]

FEATURED SHOWThursday, January 3, 7 PMHumungus, 3:33, Buzzard Dust, Nuclear Tomb, Et Mors @ Champion RVA – Free!
It’s 2019, and if there’s one thing we can all agree on as local live music fans, it’s that Strange Matter’s departure has definitely hurt us. This week’s show column shows the damage done — fully two days of this week ended up being left out for lack of anything worthwhile to send you to. Hopefully this is a one-time post-holiday-doldrum thing, but even if it’s not, one thing it makes clear is that someone, some venue or other, is going to need to step up and fill the void Strange Matter left, or we’re gonna have quite a bit less rocking out to do.

Champion Brewing did its fair share of free Thursday shows in the past, but in recent months, they’ve largely kept a low profile. The fact that they’re giving us a free show on the first Thursday of the new year is a hopeful sign, though. Let’s hope it keeps coming from these fine purveyors of suds I don’t actually drink. And let’s hope it continues to be as raging as this show is. Humungus is at the top of the bill, and these local headbangers have had some lineup shake-ups since their Warband LP in 2015, but they continue to deal in the sort of wicked metal power that made 80s thrash records so great, complete with a vocalist who hits triumphant high notes like it’s his job (which, to be fair, it is).

This show also brings a duo of touring Baltimore metal bands to us to rock this town and make us scream and shout — or at least bang our heads. Nuclear Tomb just released a brand new EP, Succumbing, and its focus on death-metal brutality and technical complexity makes it an intriguing listen. Live, this band is likely to roll right over you like a metal steamroller, but if you listen close, the riffs will keep you fascinated. Tourmates Et Mors deal out the sort of dragging, sludgy doom that will make you feel like the world is caving in on you. If you weren’t already planning to bring earplugs, this group offers a strong inducement. Local heroes 3:33 and Buzzard Dust round out a bill full of champion metal. Yeah, you see what I did there.

Thursday, January 3, 6:30 PMHaybaby, President Sam, Doll Baby, Two Cars, W I S H @ Garden Grove Brewing – Free! (Donations accepted)
Dogs are cool. Cats are cool. Chances are you agree with at least one of these statements, if not the other. And that is a good reason for you to go to this SPCA benefit at Garden Grove Brewing. Another is that it’s free — but of course, you should still bring some cash, because they’ll be taking donations for the Richmond SPCA, and unless your heart is a cold black rock, you want to make sure that they keep doing all that they do to help out local dogs and/or cats.

But the best reason to go to a show is always and forever the music, and this selection of rad Richmond bands is gonna rock you right! Haybaby have been splitting their time between Brooklyn and Richmond for years now, which might be why it’s been three years since their last EP, but word is they’ll be bringing us another LP full of their power-pop goodness sometime this year — so that’s something to look forward to! President Sam is starting a tour with this show, and this emo-pop/pop-punk band certainly tickles my fancy (y’all know what a sucker I am for this sound), so make sure you catch them. And don’t miss Two Cars either. This emo-shoegaze trio has a brand new EP out, and they’ll be celebrating its release at this show, so chances are they’ll be fired up! All this and Doll Baby too? Plus an opening set from W I S H? This show would be cheap even at ten times the price! (Because ten times free is still free.) Bring donations for the puppies and kittens, and get your year started right!

Friday, January 4, 5 PMSilver Age, Unturned, Thirst For The Sea, Having Keepsake, Apricity @ The Canal Club – $8 in advance/$10 day of show (order tickets HERE)
There was a bit of punctuation mark abuse in that last blurb, so I’m gonna try to keep it chill here, as I write about the first of two 2019 Kickoff shows The Canal Club is throwing this weekend. This one’s the “rock” show, and Saturday brings us a “metal” show. Of the two, I’m most excited about this one. Silver Age are an intriguing band who got a lot of attention in 2017 due to their winning a shot onto the Warped Tour that year. They’re a bunch of teenagers with a heavy sound that splits the difference between more recent emo bands and heavily melodic post-hardcore bands of the 90s (think Hum, or maybe Quicksand). Now that they’re out of high school, these kids should be getting more done in 2019. Get in on the ground floor right here.

Fellow northern-midwesterners Unturned are also on this bill, and these guys have a somewhat similar sound to that of Silver Age, though they’re a bit less heavy and more straight up emo. That’s never a bad thing if you ask me. There are a bunch of VA bands in a similar vein opening up this show and bringing us some more excellent sounds in that vein. Thirst From The Sea live in rural western VA, up near where I went to high school, and have a heavy, driving, and properly emo sound. Meanwhile, RVA’s own Having Keepsake are a bit more post-rock infused, but still angst-ridden, while Mechanicsville newcomers Apricity (apparently it means “the warmth of the sun in winter”) kick things off with some “melodic grunge.” I’m into it. You should be too. Exclamation point.

Saturday, January 5, 8 PMLady Moon & the Eclipse (Photo by Luke Awtry Photography), Kenneka Cook, Calvin Presents, Mekong Xpress & the Get Fresh Horns @ The Camel – $7 in advance/$10 day of show (order tickets HERE)
We’re getting in a funky mood this Saturday night at The Camel. Lady Moon & the Eclipse are headed down from their Brooklyn home to bring us all some thick and heavy grooves. This group’s fat bass sound and nimble synth lines hark back to the 70s in a serious way, resembling some of the lush soul productions that were happening at the same time as disco, but just had so much more depth to them. And of course, Lady Moon’s voice is the focus of it all, singing directly to your soul with soothing messages of love and positivity.

So get ready to groove with the Eclipse, but don’t think that this show is all about the Brooklynites, because we’ve got a passel of homegrown talent waiting for you as well. We talk about Kenneka Cook a lot around here, and for good reason — from her amazing voice to her brilliant and unpredictable compositions, this woman is the first name in 21st century soul here in central VA. Calvin Presents is an up-and-coming talent with a jazz-based approach to R&B balladry that results in music that both resists easy categorization and rewards listeners with musical beauty. And of course, Mekong Xpress are a funk-rock combo that grew out of everyone’s favorite Vietnamese-food destination in RVA to become a groove powerhouse. Get down with all of it this Saturday night, and dance into the new year in proper fashion.

Sunday, January 6, 8 PMHot Pink Satan, Solemn Shapes @ Fallout – $6 in advance/$10 at the door (order tickets HERE)
They’re getting weird with it over at Fallout this Sunday night, and before you tell me that that’s just a normal night at Shockoe Bottom’s foremost private fetish club, let me provide some details. What you must know is that a band with the memorable name of Hot Pink Satan is performing. This Pittsburgh-based duo is every bit as shocking as their name would lead you to believe.

Singer Clea Cutthroat’s tendency to lose her clothing and end up covered in blood might make you think of Wendy O. Williams and the Plasmatics, while the pounding, heavy industrial beats and sexual preoccupations of the music are more likely to inspire recollections of Lords Of Acid’s mid-90s heyday. My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult fans should probably appreciate what this bizarre group is doing too, and metal fans may get a kick out of knowing that instrument-wielder allinaline was once in Chimaira. So if you like a bit of metal noise and punk confrontation in your sexy industrial dancefloor bangers, this is the perfect group for you. Just don’t stand too close if you don’t want to end up slippery.

Tuesday, January 8, 7 PMMdou Moctar, Night Idea @ Gallery 5 – $10 in advance/$15 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Over the last decade or so, the music of the Tuareg people has received quite a bit of recognition outside their native Saharan desert. This nomadic ethnic confederation of livestock ranchers have an interesting place in the culture of the African continent, but what really has caught the world’s ear in recent years is their tradition of psychedelic guitar music. That all started with the legendary band Tinariwen, who mixed traditional Tuareg musics with electric guitars and acid-rock influences.

Mdou Moctar is a similar sort of Tuareg guitarist, one who has put his own personal stamp on the sound of this region, keeping a more traditional approach than some more recent Tuareg combos, while still retaining a speedy, nimble-fingered approach to the fretboard that is sure to please the ears of all you metal-shredding guitar heroes out there. His 2017 album, Sousoume Tamachek, revolves around acoustic instruments and traditional percussion, but Moctar still wails on guitar throughout. He’s sure to do a similar thing from the stage of Gallery 5 — you’ll be able to hear the desert winds blowing through your hair as you listen. Don’t miss this one.

Bonus Hampton Roads Picks:

Friday, January 4, 8 PMLake Street Dive, Mikaela Davis @ The NorVA – $25 in advance/$29.50 at the door (order tickets HERE)
Lake Street Dive are an intriguing group. Even wikipedia, which calls them “a multigenre band,” has no idea how to explain their sound. They’ve got an old-school approach to instrumentation that lays the groundwork for everything that comes after. Acoustic stand-up bass, soulful horns, and Rachel Price’s humdinger of a voice, which is mid-range in tone but as deep as the ocean in vibe, are all key elements to understanding what this group is up to. And of course, they’ve grabbed some attention online with covers of immortal classics by artists like Michael Jackson and Hall and Oates.

So at this point, you’re thinking “Postmodern Jukebox,” right? Not so fast. Because Lake Street Dive are skilled songwriters with a deep quiver full of excellent original compositions. Blues, soul, old-school R&B, old-time folk, and rock n’ roll all factor in, always with a strong foundation in live instruments played at the same time in a room. This band is powerful, and they’ll keep you smiling and your feet moving throughout their performance at The NorVA. So hey, whether you’re a curious Hampton Roads resident, a fan who’s bummed they didn’t make it up to Richmond this time around, or just someone who loves great music played well by talented people, this show needs to be on your calendar.

Saturday, January 5, 8 PMThe Candy Snatchers, Big Bobby & The Nightcaps, The Nerve Scheme @ Elevation27 – $10 in advance/$14 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Back in the 90s, if you were a fan of raging, unbridled punk rock from any part of the world, you were looking to Virginia. Why? Because the Candy Snatchers were from here. This legendary punk n’ roll band were up there with the Dwarves, the Supersuckers, and the New Bomb Turks as the best of the wild-ass bands out there. And they had the stage show to prove it, too — they were known to spew blood, spit, and beer all over the place as they dealt out their pedal-to-the-metal brand of manic punk thrills.

All that sadly came to an end with the 2008 passing of the band’s guitarist, Matthew Odietus, who was largely responsible along with vocalist Larry May for the sound that made the Candy Snatchers so unforgettable. However, coinciding with the 2017 release of Moronic Pleasures, a “lost album” recorded in the late 90s, May and longtime drummer Sergio Ponce resurrected the group for some celebratory live dates around the mid-Atlantic area. Since then, they’ve been firing it up and going wild on at least an occasional basis, and this Saturday night provides the latest opportunity to catch the wild fire from this band once again. Chances are shit’s gonna get pretty crazy at this show — if you’re a true-blue fan of rock n’ roll at it’s most out-of-control, you’re not gonna want to miss it. No matter how far you have to drive.

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Email me if you’ve got any tips for me about upcoming shows (that take place after the week this column covers -– this week’s column has obviously already been written): [email protected] [and yeah, there’s plenty more of my writing to read over at GayRVA — come say hey.]

FEATURED SHOWSaturday, December 15, noonWhite Laces, Night Idea, Fat Spirit, Manzara, Grem Smiley, Don Fredrick, Nightcreature, Billy Neptune, Deli Kings, Ghoul Trouble @ Strange Matter – $12 (order tickets HERE)Saturday, December 15, 9 PMPunks For Presents 2018 Night Two, feat. Good Cretins, London Caroling, Snow Control, Christmas Jerks, X-Mas @ Strange Matter – $10
The time has come. It’s the last hurrah. This Saturday marks the final time that Strange Matter will host any live music. I know a lot of us have been feeling some ways about this, and I’m definitely feeling those feels too. Not just because Strange Matter has been, hands down, the best and most reliable live music venue in Richmond for the past decade, but also because… y’all, I’ve got a column to write every week. I’ve been writing this column for four years, and I can count the weekly installments that went by without featuring at least one Strange Matter show on one finger. When most of the venues around town weren’t even open most random weeknights, Strange Matter could always be counted on to be hosting not just a show, but more often than not, a real banger that I’d put into my column even if it was happening on a Saturday night when every place was hosting something.

Where am I gonna send you now on a random Tuesday night now? We’re gonna find that answer together in 2019, for better or worse. But while Strange Matter still exists, you better believe I’m gonna send you there this weekend. After all, this Saturday, their final day in operation, is going to be a major blowout, featuring not one but two epic shows that will start off around the time you’re paying your tab at brunch and end at last call in the wee hours. What better way could there be for you to celebrate Strange Matter’s truly top-quality decade of operation than to spend about 14 hours within its darkened confines, enjoying over a dozen excellent bands from right here in RVA?

You know the answer as well as I do, so let’s all just mark our calendars now. There’s plenty to get stoked for — a reunion set by White Laces tops off the first epic show of the day, and since it’s always wonderful to see Landis, Jimmy, Jay, and the rest of the gang take the stage together, this will be a can’t-miss moment for any Richmond music fan. The coterie of excellent local faves supporting them on this bill — math-rock kingpins Night Idea, angst-ridden grunge punks Fat Spirit, spaced-out noise-rockers Manzara, so many more — is only matched by the outstanding slate of holiday-themed tribute acts being brought to us on the late show’s jam-packed lineup courtesy of Punks For Presents. Have you ever wanted to hear Clash songs rewritten to feature lyrics about Santa Claus? Or a set of Bad Religion tunes played by people who’ve seen snow on their front lawn at some point in their lives? You’ll get these and many more excellent musical treats at this fun-filled extravaganza. Don’t miss it — if you let your last chance to enjoy Strange Matter while it’s here slip away, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life. Guaranteed.

Wednesday, December 12, 6 PMThe Milkstains, Sports Bar, Sammi Lanzetta, The Trillions, Cold Beaches, Dumb Waiter, Toward Space, Neat Sweep @ Strange Matter – $12 (order tickets HERE)
Let’s continue to talk about the outstanding fare Strange Matter will be bringing us throughout their final few days of operation, shall we? The many epic local showcases that have filled their stage over the past few weeks have tended to find a focus in one local scene or another, and this one is no exception, bringing us a smorgasbord of the best alternative rock n’ roll this city has to offer. The fact that I took til the third sentence of this writeup to tell you that the Milkstains will be headlining this show with their first local performance since LAST Christmas might just constitute burying the lede, but I write these columns really goddamn fast, so I hope no one will hate on me too much for letting my journalistic principles slip just a bit.

Anyway, based on the advance promo for this show, it seems likely that this performance by the Milkstains may just constitute their last-ever performance as a band, and considering how much sweat, beer, and surf-grunge wildness this band has dished out to this city over the past decade-plus (they’ve been a thing even longer than Strange Matter has), that’s a real loss to all of us. Celebrate the life and the rock n’ roll power of the Milkstains once again/one last time(?) at Smatter tonight — but don’t just waltz in as they’re hitting the stage, because if you do, you’ll miss out on a plethora of fine musical performers, from the heartstopping alt-rock balladry of singer-songwriter extraordinaire Sammi Lanzetta to the garage-pop brilliance of Sports Bar to the jazz-metal madness of Dumb Waiter. And so much more! Dude… it’s gonna be epic.

Thursday, December 13, 8 PMOld Faith, Colin Phils, Colder Planets, Kenneka Cook @ Capital Ale House Music Hall – $7 in advance/$10 day of show (order tickets HERE)
I could keep on talking about Strange Matter for every single remaining day of their brief existence, and rest assured, on both this night and the next, there are excellent shows spotlighting indie-rock and grindcore at Strange Matter on these nights. If you were to go, I fully would not blame you. But I would be remiss in my duty as Richmond’s chief chronicler of live local music (I mean, really, who else is there?) if I didn’t tell you about a couple of amazing shows happening at other venues during this final half-week of Strange Matter’s extended wake. Let’s begin with this one, which features an appearance by Greensboro instrumental quartet Old Faith.

There have been quite a few groups that have trod similar musical ground as these North Carolinians now cover, but their ability to evoke perspective, meaning, and emotion through the stunning evolutions of their dual-guitar instrumental epics, as demonstrated on their recently released self-titled LP, puts them in the top tier of the genre, alongside famous names like Explosions In The Sky and Mogwai. When the sounds of their amplifiers grow to fill and surround Capital Ale House’s Downtown Music Hall, the music is sure to take you on an emotional journey. RVA-via-Korea band Colin Phils will also be on hand to bring you their pleasing take on the note-twisting melodic tangles of math-rock, while Colder Planets’s gorgeous alt-rock sounds will put a smile on your face for sure. And of course, there’s Kenneka Cook, the excellent soul singer and amazingly talented electronic-music composer, who’ll bring us an always-delightful set of her amazing tunes. This one’s going to be a delight.

Friday, December 14, 8 PMHackedepicciotto, Eric Hubel @ Capital Ale House Music Hall – $15 (order tickets HERE)
Assuming you’re not hitting Strange Matter, it’s back to Capital Ale House’s Downtown Music Hall on this fine Friday night for one of the weirdest and most intriguing musical experiences you’re going to have anytime in the near future. Hackedepicciotto are coming to town, and while this particular name may not be all that familiar to you, you’re sure to be impressed by their musical pedigree. Alexander Hacke is bassist and co-founder of German industrial godfathers Einsturzende Neubauten; his partner in life and music, Danielle de Picciotto, sang with German postpunk band Die Haut and helped establish long-running Berlin music festival Love Parade.

When they create together, Hacke and de Picciotto make music focused on their interest in yoga and other forms of meditation. Their most recent release is JOY, the second of their albums composed specifically to be soundtracks for meditation, and for that album they worked with New York postpunk guitarist Eric Hubel, formerly of Glenn Branca’s band and a yoga master himself. Now all three come to Richmond to create ambient soundtracks that might have some meditative qualities but also have an intense character that sometimes carries a dark undercurrent and always has the potential to shake your spiritual foundations. It’s hard to say what we’ll see and hear at Capital Ale House Friday night, but one thing’s for sure — it’ll move you.

Saturday, December 15, 7 PMGenosha, 3:33, Vulcanite, Lounge Lizzard, Treble Lifter, The Mostly Dead, Torino Death Ride @ Sound Of Music Studios – $5
As Strange Matter breathes its last this Saturday night, new life is being born into the Virginia hardcore scene. Metallic hardcore group Genosha will be releasing their latest CD, Our Conspiracy, and while I haven’t yet heard any of the tuneage from it, the two excellent bangers they released earlier this year on a split EP with fellow Commonwealth denizens Treble Lifter (also playing this show; more about them in a minute) give all the reason in the world to expect a powerful slab of dark, brutal moshcore out of this quintet. Being there to see the new Genosha LP being birthed into the world is certainly a fine use of your weekend night, especially if you’re ready for some serious headbangs.

There are quite a few other excellent bands from all around the VA area on this bill as well, and that’s sure to sweeten the pot for the initiated as well as the merely intrigued. Lounge Lizzard in particular are one to watch; this Richmond-based newcomer features members from all kinds of other excellent local bands — Toxic Moxie, Cremains, The Donalds, Skumboyz, and more. Plus, their snarky, catchy old-school punk sound is particularly designed to appeal to fans of The Avengers, which is never a bad thing. The aforementioned Treble Lifter have more of a driving post-hardcore sound, but don’t get me wrong — these guys are plenty pissed off, so you punks are still gonna love it. There are a lot more notable bands on this bill, but I’m running out of space, so I challenge you — learn about them for yourself. Come to Sound Of Music this Saturday night, and find out what’s going on with the new generation.

Sunday, December 16, 7:30 PMSilent Music Revival, feat. Toxic Moxie @ Gallery 5 – Donations accepted
This should be an intriguing installment of the always-fascinating Silent Music Revival, a long-running series of local shows in which Richmond-area musicians of note create improvised soundtracks for silent films they’ve never seen before. This time around, it’ll be Toxic Moxie who’ve accepted the challenge, and it’ll be fun to see how they incorporate their disco-punk hybrid sound into the world of film score. They’ll have a pretty great candidate for scoring too, as the film on display this week is Jean Renoir’s 1928 picture The Little Match Girl.

Renoir, who shares a surname with Impressionist master Pierre-Auguste Renoir because he was his son, was a pioneering French film director who got his start in the silent era before going on to demonstrate what could be achieved in the film medium with classics like La Grand Illusion and The Rules Of The Game. Starring his first wife and based on that totally bleak Hans Christian Andersen story we all heard as kids, The Little Match Girl was one of Renoir’s more notable early efforts, one that he financed by selling off his dad’s paintings. Now it’s being paired with the music of Toxic Moxie, on a Sunday evening at Gallery 5. What a time to be alive.

Monday, December 17, 7 PMAlright, Smoke Break, Ghouli @ Gallery 5 – $5 in advance/$6 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Never mind the fact that I always, without fail, write it as two words (“all right”); I’m still stoked to see Alright coming to town. These North Carolinians feature Sarah Blumenthal, formerly of the excellent Charlotte, NC band Faye, on guitar and vocals, and while Alright are clearly dipping a little further into the melodic/emotional end of the musical pond than Faye were, this group carries on the crunching guitars and exuberant bounce that Faye did so well.

Their just-released new EP, On The Outs, is the sort of record that will appeal equally to fans of melodic pop-punk groups like the Candy Hearts and garage-rock roustabouts like Sheer Mag. Live, these tunes are sure to get everybody bouncing around with smiles on their faces. It makes them a good pairing with Smoke Break, the melodic, energetic RVA trio featuring members of Sundials, Hold Tight, and Springtime who also grace this bill. We don’t get too many chances to see these guys, and as their 2016 LP Everything Is Wrong proved, they’ve got a lot to offer. So be sure not to miss out on this one — and show up on time, because local newcomers Ghouli have some caustic, frenetic punk to bowl you over with, and you’ll feel real stupid if you hear their last song from outside when you’re walking up. Don’t be that guy.

Tuesday, December 18, 7 PMMatt Lisk, Justin Golden, Graham Stone, Mackenzie Roark, Pat O’Keefe @ The Camel – Free!
I don’t think this night is part of the official “singer-songwriter showcase” series The Camel’s been doing off-and-on over the past couple years, but it’s set up in much the same way: several local musicians known for excellently-crafted solo material will all get together and play sets one after the other, and you’ll be able to see it all for free. That’s always a good deal, especially since the Camel has burgers and tacos on the menu that become way more affordable when you didn’t have to pay to get in. So show up a little early, get your grub on, and then settle in to enjoy a night of excellent solo sounds that come to you courtesy of folks like Matt Lisk, whose contemplative acoustic offerings are a great soundtrack for an introspective evening.

By contrast, Justin Golden will bring us some rootsy acoustic blues with a soulful feel that take his work beyond the traditional sound of legends like Robert Johnson and Son House, even as it keeps their spirits alive. Mackenzie Roark, who worked with a former member of Hootie And The Blowfish on her last album, has some classic country sounds to offer that are sure to please fans of Patsy Cline and Wanda Jackson. And of course, Graham Stone has become a fixture on the local singer-songwriter scene, with his folk feel and deep-blue voice always making an impression. The evening is rounded out by Dalton Dash frontman Pat O’Keefe taking a solo turn that we can imagine will maintain a similar old-time mix of folk, country, and bluegrass sounds that we’ve all come to know and love in his band. All of this for no dollars at the door? You can’t beat that with a bat.

Bonus Hampton Roads Picks:

Friday, December 14, 7 PMThe Do-Nothings, Stray Fossa, Party Wave, Plastic Nancy @ Toast – $7 in advance/$10 day of show (order tickets HERE)
Something unusual is going on here. The Do-Nothings are holding this show at Toast as an “album release party,” but until recently, there was no evidence of a forthcoming album to be found. Then on Monday, a post went up on their Facebook page that read, “This is not a test. Our album release show set will be recorded live and released as the album we are having the release show to release. Get it? Your participation is very important to us.” And if that isn’t enough to pique your interest, you’re a less curious person than I am.

Research has revealed that The Do-Nothings, who appear to be based in Richmond even though they’re having this bizarre “release party” in Norfolk, are a project led by singer/guitarist Andrew Altman, who, along with an energetic rhythm section, makes wild, effects-laden psychedelic blues-punk tunes that rarely fail to get weird. Their work reminds me in some ways of the early Black Keys, back when their records were way too grotty to ever get within shouting distance of radio, and in others of the totally bizarre early material by New York freaks Royal Trux. How’s that all gonna translate when they both make and release their next album onstage at Toast this weekend? One thing’s for sure — it won’t be boring. Gas up the Hyundai and go see what these weirdos have up their sleeve.

Sunday, December 16, 7 PMGod Of Nothing, One Less Life, Black Lotus, Heft, Stolen Goodz @ Riffhouse Pub – $5
Northern Virginia deathcore brutality merchants God Of Nothing apparently galled a few people by referring to themselves on the internet a few years ago as “the heaviest band on earth,” but we ain’t mad at ’em. Honestly, new single “1075” is pretty crushing, especially with its incorporation of ambient noise and a ridiculous final breakdown that features several totally silent pauses that trick you into thinking the song’s over before blindsiding you with another monstrous riff. These guys are clearly continuing to build on the legacy of downtuned mosh madness they’ve built up over the last several years, and what they’re showing us lately more than makes them worth going to see — even if they aren’t the heaviest band on any earth that also contains Sunn o))).

New Jersey’s Black Lotus are also on this bill, and while they’re more focused on complex, chaotic masses of progressive metalcore (they call themselves a “djent” band, but I’ve never been able to establish a coherent definition for that particular subgenre) than the sheer low-end crunch of God Of Nothing, they should certainly appeal to fans of the headliner, if their excellent Wilted LP from earlier this year is any indication. There’s a lot going on on this album, for sure, but never fear — a brutal breakdown is always just around the corner. One thing’s for sure: the pit at this show’s gonna be a risky proposition. I’ll be protecting my middle-aged bones, but if you love to mosh hard, this one’s gonna put a smile on your face for sure.

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Email me if you’ve got any tips for me about upcoming shows (that take place after the week this column covers–this week’s column has obviously already been written): [email protected] [and yeah, there’s plenty more of my writing to read over at GayRVA — come say hey.]

FEATURED SHOW Sunday, August 13, 8 PM DRI, Sunlord, Cruelsifix, Enforced, 3:33 @ Strange Matter – $15 (order tickets HERE)
Trends in the world of metal come and go (and that’s true no matter what some “anti-trendy” metalhead might tell you). However, if the last 35 years are any indication, it appears that thrash is evergreen. Speedy drumming, chunky riffs, harsh vocals, and wailing solos never go out of style. Therefore it can be little surprise that OG thrash speed demons DRI are still going full speed ahead after 35 years. But what’s really great is how good they still are! [Read more…] about RVA Shows You Must See This Week: 8/9-8/15

FEATURE SHOW
Friday, October 16, 9:30 PMTorche, Pontiak, Snack Truck, Snakehole @ Hardywood – $13 in advance/$15 at the door (order tickets here: http://torchehardywood.eventbrite.com)
Florida metal heroes Torche have been around for over a decade now, and they’ve come a long way. Their various Richmond shows have proven this; in ten years, they’ve gone from rocking the basement of a sushi restaurant (RIP Nara) to blasting the roof off a deluxe craft brewery, as they will do this Friday night.[Read more…] about RVA Shows You Must See This Week 10/14-10/20